Art educators are adept at using images to communicate and spark dialogues. But what happens when the conversations that are needed in classrooms concern topics that are intentionally silenced or repeated so often that contradictions become invisible? The dilemma of visibility is central when talking to students about Whiteness, which White people…

The National Visual Arts Standards (NVAS) present ways for students in the United States to create, present, respond, and connect to the world of art and artmaking. This article focuses on the practices of one visual arts educator, Educator A, who taught in a state-sponsored specialist music high school, guided by the following question: "How…

Place is defined by Lippard (1997) as "temporal and spatial, personal and political. A layered location replete with human histories and memories, place has width as well as depth. It is about connections, what surrounds it, what formed it, what happened there, and what will happen there" (p. 7). Thus exploring place extends…

Advocacy is not new to art education. Over the years, Goldfarb (1979), Hodsoll (1985), and Erickson and Young (1996) have written about the importance of arts advocacy, but the concept of advocacy has evolved with the times. For example, in the 1970s, arts advocacy was described as a "movement" and brought together art educators,…

When displayed in museums and classrooms, Renaissance-era (1420-1600) painting, architecture, and drawing masterworks are often decontextualized from the social reality of the Academy system under which they were produced. For centuries, the artworks of the Italian Renaissance have seduced viewers with technical mastery, exquisite pigments, and…

Contends that art educators should work toward an educational practice that works to change discriminatory practices, encourages students to reflect about how and why art is produced in all cultures, and recognizes human commonalities in art. States that an art program grounded in feminist views will focus on diverse artistic traditions. (CMK)

In this article, the author presents a model for an undergraduate course in Art Theory and Criticism that includes a practical component in which students demonstrate their understanding of various theories of art by creating interactive installations that provide opportunity for discourse. Students then invited friends to the exhibition to…

In this article, the author focuses on Esther Parada's non-traditional use of the Web to communicate her art, and offers a critique of Parada's work, "Transplant: A Tale of Three Continents," and suggestions for critiquing Web art in the school classroom. Parada creates an intersection between this new medium and the more traditional medium of…

Shows how the advertisement copy for "collectible art" can be used to develop a definition of art. Suggests that middle and high school students should look at the criteria for art offered in the advertisements. Recommends they analyze the terminology used to convince the lay person that the object is "genuine" art. (LS)

One of the most challenging concepts for preservice and experienced art teachers is to comprehend the difference between aesthetics and art criticism. In this article, the author discusses aesthetics from a historical perspective and reflects on how it can be defined and used in the art classroom. Gardner's (1983) intrapersonal and interpersonal…

The art education literature has recently given a good deal of attention to the topic of Visual Culture in Art Education (VCAE). VCAE appears to some art educators as the next new emphasis in art education following Discipline-Based Art Education. At least four recent theme issues of Art Education have addressed the topic in various ways. All of…

Identifies and responds to criticisms of discipline-based art education (DBAE). Shows how it is an all-inclusive program that responds to the needs of all students. Analyzes factors that relate to self-esteem and demonstrates how DBAE enhances it. Describes a typical lesson and case studies to support this argument. (KM)

Describes a computer system in which art reproductions are described and entered into a database containing 27 categories of information. Named the Visual Art Index System (VIAS), its underlying structure is influenced by contemporary models of aesthetics and art criticism. Maintains that the database and laserdisk can effect teaching methodology,…

Provides four art portraits from various sources to help students question reality and the roles people play in society. Includes background information on the artists, historical contexts, visual analyses, and vocabulary lists. Outlines art and reading assignments for all age groups. (KM)

Summarizes the lives and pursuits of four U.S. artists: Winslow Homer, John Frederick Peto, George Bellows, and Joan Mitchell. Explains the concepts apparent in the four works of art and shows how the artists created these works through expressing their perceptions of the world around them. Lists questions for further exploration. (CMK)